Special Pages

18.2.11

Simple Tips For Creating Balance In Our Lives

"To achieve greatness, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time." Leonard Bernstein

Balancing Acts - Work, Life, Self...

I like the quote by Leonard Bernstein above because it reminds me again that waiting for enough time to do anything meaningful is ... well, a waste of time. The busiest, most accomplished people manage their time by setting up a schedule, prioritizing and honoring their plan; they make time. To create/find balance in our lives, we must make a concerted effort to make time. This week, I have chosen prompt#2.) Finding the balance. How do you manage? from MamaKat's Writer's Workshop.

Something I've learned from experience is that when I create a realistic schedule for myself, I am less inclined to feel rushed or stressed than when I just take on projects and let events happen to me. Recently, I took on a challenging project that required constant review and responses. Soon I was consumed by the time demands and had to re-evaluate the schedule I had set up and tweak it again. I realized that not only did the project need re-evaluation; I needed to go back to my original intentions for the project.

Creating a work/life balance remains a constant concern for most people. Before we create a plan to make our lives less hectic and more balanced, it is important to ask ourselves three fundamental questions:Intention - What do I want to accomplish with my life now? Purpose - Why does it matter? and Plan - What must I do to achieve my plan? ✿♡✿Read the rest below, after the fantastic vacation offer & blog hops!

Balance includes, following the link above left and registering to win one of several exotic luxury vacations. Sponsored by my friends at JustLuxe, sign up once and every month, you get entered to win. It's free and fun.Also Join The Two✿♡✿MEGA WEEK-LONG BLOG POSTS & SOCIAL MEDIA BLOG HOPS✿♡✿ Below:

✿♡✿IntentionSometimes, we look at other people and their lifestyles, and wish we could have same, but the reality is that our lives are different, and each individual is here or called for different goals. If we stop to think back to our childhood days and the things that gave us much joy or, at least, some joy, we can begin to map out a plan that is both realistic and beneficial to our lives. We must look at our current circumstances and ask ourselves the question: What do I want to accomplish with my life now?

Another important thing to consider once we ask the question is to consider how we use our time; to take a look at our personal clock. When are we most alert? Are you a morning person or a nocturnal soul? When do you do your best work and can you create a schedule that fits your personal inner clock? Is this feasible in your work environment? How can you find ways to maximize your effectiveness during your alert time? All of these questions require we spend some time observing and evaluating what we do at certain times and when we are at our most productive.

✿♡✿PurposeThere is something to be said for the European midday nap-time because it gives everyone a chance to regroup and refresh the mind. When we make time to rest and regroup, we are able to look at our day and separate the important things from the minutiae. We get to ask again - Why does this event/project/assignment matter? Meditation; both seated and walking forms can give us another way to refresh our minds during the day. Prayer is another way we calm our mind and refocus our intentions. Exercise helps rejuvenate our bodies and our spirits and is recommended too.

✿♡✿PlanWhen my kids were younger, we created a schedule for them that included nap-time, mealtime and outside activities. The schedule allowed pockets of time when I could have Me Time to focus on myself and the things I needed to do for work. It varied from day to day but always included prayer/meditation time so I could regroup and rest. Regardless of the goals we have, it is important to create a schedule or a daily plan of activities and then to include some time for reflection in our daily schedule of activities. Why? Our creative, intuitive side is enhanced when we give ourselves time to regroup and resolve or find solutions to issues.

Every day, I am reminded that the need for balance begins in our hearts and mind, flows through our actions and then flows back to the survival impulse within. I find that making the time to be quiet and reflect on what remains to be completed ahead of me, allows me to adjust my schedule if needed and then focus on the things that truly matter.

What do you do to create balance in your life Do leave me a comment and share a tip or two. Thank you!

STEPS/RULES for the BLOG HOPS: The rules are simple.

♥Add your post (A post you enjoyed writing) to Linky #1,
♥add you fan page/networked blog (if you have one) to Linky #2,
♥leave me a comment or question especially if we haven’t already met,
♥Click on the links above your post & visit as many fellow blogger posts as you wish,
♥comment/like their post, and/or fan their Facebook page/networked blog,
♥Let them know you’re from our Mega Blog Hop ~ they will return the love
♥and spread the word. :-)
✿♡✿Thank you All and have a Happy Presidents’ Day!✿♡✿

Beautiful thoughts. My kids are getting a little older now, too, but we still have an afternoon quiet time where they can wind down for a little bit and I can sit down and breathe.

I especially like the words on not getting stressed about what other people have/do. When I occasionally start wondering why everyone else can have nice homes or nice clothes, I remind myself it's because my priorities are in different places. That's where they focus their resources. I focus mine on travel. Keeping my mind on what makes me happy instead of why things make other people happy.

Thank you all for your comments and GFC connections... I will return the visits shortly as I always love meeting new blog friends and always follow back.My wish for Blogger is that they add a reply line to each comment so our replies can be individualized... :-)Amen!Elizabeth

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.Strap a baby to her arm, a toddler at her leg and a cell phone in her ear and that's most of the mom's I know right now!Actually, I'm that mom too.Time to change the juggling act!Beautiful post!

Link-Assistant.com

NaBloPoMo

BlogLovin'

Amazon Search

I Have Massive Sway

World Clock

Shop Amazon - Cell Phone & Service Plan

ToolBar

Target

About Me

Growing up on three continents has exposed me to people/places that are culturally rich and varied. My interests in learning, teaching and traveling continue to inform my work as a training specialist.
I have three blogs on three blogging platforms: I love writing my Blogger posts at: Positive Kismet - http://www.positivekismet.com/, my WordPress posts at: Mirth and Motivation - http://mirthandmotivation.com/ and my Tumblr posts at http://thehugginghearts.com/
I enjoy visiting other bloggers websites and encouraging them. Unless we reach out and connect with other writers regularly, blogging can be a somewhat lonely endeavor.
My family, friends, faith and colleagues have been instrumental to my growth as a writer/blogger. over the years, I've learned a lot and, as I continue to master my craft and learn new skills, I always remember to be grateful. Most importantly, I remember to support others.
For several years, I signed off with eof777 - an abbreviation of my longer full name and love of aeronautics - Elizabeth Obih-Frank and the 777 series. Recently, I decided to simplify and now use the shorter - Eliz Frank.
♥♥♥♥ Thanks for stopping by! ♥♥♥♥